Circle of Trust
by Paradise Kiss
Summary: After months of him being by her side, Momo began to think Kairi really loved her. How could she have guessed the REAL truth?
1. Don't You Love Me?

Hello all! This is my first fanfic of any kind. What better series to start with than Peach Girl? Anyway, this story closely follows the events of volumes 11 and 12. So if you've only read the English version, BEWARE, this will spoil chapters that TokyoPop is quite far off from publishing! Don't say I didn't warn you!  
  
About names. Kairi is 'Kiley' 's original name in the Japanese tanks. Ryo is Kairi's older (nearly identical) brother. Aki Misao (last name Aki, first name Misao) is Kairi and Momo's school nurse, who has been a character since the earliest chapters. But here we learn exactly what the secret behind her and Kairi's relationship is.  
  
This really isn't much of a fanfic so far..it's more a synopsis of volume 12 -_-. I wanted to expand on the feelings, to write about what everyone must be going through in that volume, and to do that I had to include a lot of the details from the manga, so, sorry if it's not very creative.  
  
  
Dialogue broken off with *** indicates flashbacks. Quotes surrounded by - indicate first-person thoughts.  
  
  
Again, this is my first fic so if anyone reads this, pleeease leave a review!  
  
-Parakiss  
  
~~~~  
  
  
  
  
  
Circle of Trust Chapter 1: Don't You Love Me?  
  
  
  
  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
Momo collapsed to her knees, sobs wracking her body as she shook her head vigorously, trying to get the the image out of her head.  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
Kairi's face. Kairi of the eternal smiles, frowning, looking grim, forlorn, and..ashamed.  
  
Momo buried her face in her hands, her crying momentarily muffled. So many feelings building up..intense, painful feelings..but nothing could stop her mind from replaying the scene.  
  
  
  
***  
"Do you still..do you still love Misao?"  
  
Kairi's expression became graver, which Momo would have thought impossible. He hesitated, and she felt her heart leap into her throat.  
  
"W..well? Okayasu.."  
  
He flinched.  
  
"Tell me!"  
  
A sharp intake of breath.  
  
"...yes."  
  
Silence.  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
***  
  
  
The shock, the anger, the devestation..such devestation..began to build up within Momo once again as she staggered to her feet, only to collapse onto her to bed.   
  
Momo shut her eyes and grabbed a nearby pillow, clenching it between her fists.  
  
-All that time. All that time for him to tell me..all that time to lead me on..-  
  
Nothing made sense anymore. Only her anger at him. What was he thinking? Why..how could he do this?   
  
She recalled in her mind the time she first met Kairi. When he first defended her. When he first asked her out. When he first said he loved her..he loved her...  
  
"THAT JERK!!!" She flung the pillow across the room, exhaling deeply as it hit the wall with a resounding smack.  
  
Nothing, nothing at all made sense. Only one person pursued her when she had her heart set on Toji. Only one person defended her image and reputation when they were targeted. Only one person believed her, her alone, and never, ever Sae. Kairi. Weeks, months of Kairi following Momo around, declaring his love, making advances, helping her win Toji, and helping her recover when it ended. He did everything for her. He believed in her. He made her love him.  
  
Another round of tears threatened to spill from her eyelids as only one thought ran through her mind.  
  
-Why?-  
  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
Kairi stared blankly at his cellphone, having left his fifth message to Momo in little over an hour. "No missed calls" blinked repeatedly, and he shoved the phone into his pocket in annoyance.  
  
He leaned back against the street light, oblivious to the chatter and bustle of passerby around him. Momo's eyes, Momo's tearful and stunned eyes, stared back at him no matter where he directed his gaze.   
  
He couldn't think straight. He thought he'd done the right thing..and yet he'd been so very wrong. He thought he'd be hurting her less, when really he'd hurt her far more.  
  
The truth. Who needs it?  
  
Kairi sighed, nudging a candy wrapper on the ground with his foot. Momo caught on. She caught on to the one thing about him no one else in the world knew or suspected. And she confronted him..and he told answered her suspicions. He couldn't..he wouldn't..ever lie to Momo. He wouldn't have had a chance to, anyway..so sudden. It all happened so suddenly, her questioning. He hadn't been prepared for anything but a simple, honest, brutally painful answer.  
  
Yes, he loved Misao. He always loved Misao. In ways that no one would understand. How does one explain the feelings he had? All his life, Kairi was a shadow. A kid, a nuisance, an unexceptional nobody with an exceptional somebody for a brother. Kairi was amusing..Ryo was amazing. His parents..his friends..his girlfriends...to them he was always second-best. The world belonged to Ryo, and Kairi was just an afterthougt inhabitant. He didn't want to be better. He didn't want to be popular.   
  
He wanted to be seen.  
  
  
  
~~~~~  
More chapters coming soon. Feel free to email me, parakiss@prodigy.net 


	2. If You Only Knew

Chapter two of my first fanfiction. Spoilers for Peach Girl volume 12!  
  
About names. Kairi is 'Kiley' 's original name in the Japanese tanks. Ryo is Kairi's older (nearly identical) brother. Aki Misao (last name Aki, first name Misao) is Kairi and Momo's school nurse, who has been a character since the earliest chapters. But here we learn exactly what the secret behind her and Kairi's relationship is.  
  
  
Dialogue broken off with *** indicates flashbacks. Quotes surrounded by - indicate first-person thoughts.  
  
  
Again, this is my first fic so if anyone reads this, pleeease leave a review!  
  
-Parakiss  
~~~~  
  
  
  
  
Circle of Trust Chapter 2: If You Only Knew  
  
  
  
***  
  
When Misao had first introduced herself as his new tutor, Kairi couldn't help from inwardly laughing. She appeared to be several years older than him, about Ryo's age. Slightly overweight. Very studious style, yet a gentle expression. Putty in his hands. Kairi's advances never mattered in the long run..eventually they all wound up in one place. With Ryo. Kairi was just going through the routine anymore.  
  
Misao had shoved his 'routine' right off the tracks. He laughed somewhat bitterly, remembering the sting of her punch-no, not a girly slap, a punch-to his cheek, and the angry expression on her face afterwards. Studious and gentle his ass...she wasn't going to take his crap, apparently. They just might get along.  
  
That thought was set in stone that same night. Still wary, Kairi launched into his usual setup, remarking on the similarities between him and Ryo, how they even looked so much alike.  
  
"What are you talking about?"   
  
Kairi blinked. Misao continued.  
  
"Kairi is Kairi, right? You're different, you're two different human beings."  
  
That feeling..where did it come from? The blood rushed to Kairi's cheeks, and he cast his gaze down as Misao pointed out a page in a textbook and began reading. That feeling, that happy, relieved, excited, and foreign feeling only grew. Misao came to him every few days. She chided Kairi when he slacked off, but ultimately their relationship was that of good friends. She came to see him, and only him. For once, Kairi had something, someone, that Ryo didn't. Kairi wasn't second place in Misao's mind.  
  
At first.  
  
The worst time of Kairi's life was when he went vacationing to the beach with Ryo and his classmates..which included Misao. 'Went' is an overstatement. 'Tagged along' is more appropriate, as Ryo contested his pressence. But Misao, Misao defended him. Misao was glad he was coming.   
  
He could never forget it now. Misao looked different from what he was used to. She'd dressed more feminine, wearing a sundress..her hair was down, her glasses off..and the necklace. The pretty cross necklace that Kairi had been surprised to see. Misao never wore jewelery..still, it suited her. He told her so. She looked..pretty. That's what he said.   
  
Misao slipped, walking across some rocks on the beach. Kairi heard her exclaim, and turned, to see Ryo holding her arm, having prevented her fall. A momentary pause, and Kairi stared as Ryo suddenly embraced the beet-red Misao from behind.  
  
Kairi dashed over and brushed Ryo's arms away, turning Misao away from his brother. No sooner had he taken the first step then Ryo's words rang out clear into the blue sky.  
  
"Aki..that necklace looks good on you. Thank you for accepting it."  
  
Kairi paused, midstep. Did he really just hear...no, it wasn't possible. He glanced down to Misao. Surely he-  
  
Her embarassed gaze said it all.  
  
She told him the next day she could no longer be his tutor.  
  
The blow crushed his heart after it had only just began to beat. Once again, back to his usual role. Just when he thought he'd won, that he'd begun a new life, that for once everything was right with the world and things were going his way, he was shot down to the back-up, the second best, the little brother.  
  
The shadow.  
  
~~~  
  
Kairi looked up as a couple walked past him, swinging hands and laughing over some private joke. He grimaced.  
  
He never blamed Misao. He couldn't. Nor could he get over her. Or the way she had made him feel. Even after that, she never stopped caring for him. And she was always there for him. But it was never the same. He never again had that hope, that confidence, that content knowledge that someone out there in the world put HIM first.  
  
But he loved her still. In all his time with Momo, his love for Misao was never a question. It was never just a thing of the past. But it WAS secret..HIS secret. He couldn't help but hide it, but would he lie about it?  
  
To Momo, no.  
  
His hand instinctively reached to his pocket again, retrieving the phone and quickly entering message #6.  
  
"Momo...please.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
~~~~~  
More chapters coming soon. Feel free to email me, parakiss@prodigy.net 


	3. Always Watching You

Chapter three of my first fanfiction. Spoilers for Peach Girl volume 12!  
  
About names. Kairi is 'Kiley' 's original name in the Japanese tanks. Ryo is Kairi's older (nearly identical) brother. Aki Misao (last name Aki, first name Misao) is Kairi and Momo's school nurse, who has been a character since the earliest chapters.   
  
Dialogue broken off with *** indicates flashbacks. Quotes surrounded by - indicate first-person thoughts.  
  
In Japan, students don't wear outside shoes in school, they wear paper shoes that they store in special shoe-lockers. These lockers are located by the entrance, when the students come in for the day they go to their lockers, remove the paper shoes, put them on, and then put their street shoes in the lockers until the end of the day.  
  
Toji and Sae had been 'going out' since she -forced- him to, several volumes back. In volume 11 and 12, Sae begins seeing (or -thinking- she's seeing) Kairi's brother, Ryo, who is quite the playboy. She doesn't tell Toji, but naturally he finds out. I didn't include anything regarding Sae and Ryo in this fic, because I just really didn't want to get into that mess ^_^.  
  
Again, this is my first fic so if anyone reads this, pleeease leave a review!  
  
I dedicate this chapter to "Inuki" and "Spellcaster: tHe AnImE fReAk". Thanks so much for being my first reviewers ever! =D  
  
-Parakiss  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
  
  
Circle of Trust Chapter 3: Always Watching You  
  
  
  
~~~~  
  
Momo walked slowly through the school entrance, listlessly cutting through the crowd to get to her locker. She felt several pairs of eyes on her and didn't even bother looking up. She knew her appearance must be unsettling, but she frankly didn't care. Her hair was touseled and unruly-she hadn't bothered styling it-her eyes were puffy and bloodshot from hours of crying, and there were still smudges of makeup under her lashes.  
  
This was the last place she wanted to be right now. She slammed her locker shut and dropped her school shoes to the floor, blindly going through the motions of every normal day.   
  
She felt far from normal.   
  
Momo slid the classroom door open and stepped in, hoping to make it to a seat in the back unnoticed. She uttered a silent prayer.  
  
"Mooomo!" Several hands waved at her exhuberantly. Was there no justice in the world?  
  
Momo reluctantly slid into a seat next to the girls who had called her over, Rumi and Yuka. They smiled at her and burst into greeting, and Momo had to revel at the irony. All those times Sae's rumors had left her desperately wishing for someone, anyone to treat her kindly, and now she just wanted to avoid the people who'd she come to know as 'friends'.  
  
"So, Momo! What's this? You actually managed to walk into class by YOURSELF today?" Rumi chided.  
  
Yuka pretended to look around the classroom. "Wait, that can't be! Where's Okayasu? How could Momo manage to walk at all without him attached to her hip? He MUST be around somewhere!"  
  
The two laughed and Momo offered a shakey smile.  
  
-Please talk about something else..please talk about something else..plea-  
  
Rumi leaned forward on Momo's desk and grinned widely. "So what do you two have planned tonight? Definitely a hot date, right? A romantic movie maybe? A trip to a..love hotel?" She giggled.  
  
Momo blanched. "Ahh..no, nothing like that, it's re-"  
  
"Rumiiii!" Yuka exclaimed. "Honestly, Momo, she's just desperate for details since HER love life is totally non-existant."  
  
Rumi stuck out her tongue. "Oh please, like you don't like hearing about Okayasu! You had that crush on him for the looongest ti-"  
  
"Adachi..can I talk to you for a second?"  
  
Rumi and Yuka looked up, their conversation interrupted. Kairi stood in the doorway, offering a hesitant smile despite the sadness in his eyes. Rumi and Yuka didn't notice. The two giggled again and then looked at Momo. She remained seated.  
  
Yuka blinked and leaned down next to her ear. "Um, Momo? Hurry up and get out there already! You two have things to talk about, after all!"  
  
Yuka jumped back as Momo suddenly stood up, hands planted firmly on her desk. Without a word, she stalked past Kairi and out of the classroom.  
  
"Adachi???" Kairi called, blinking.  
  
Yuka and Rumi stood with their mouths agape, not believing what they just saw. Kairi turned and cast his gaze to the ground, slowly shuffling away.  
  
In the back of the classroom, Toji narrowed his eyes watching Kairi's retreating form, a thousand thoughts running through his head.  
  
  
~~~~  
  
"That's Momo, isn't it?"  
"Woah! She's so fast!"  
"Incredible, isn't she?"  
  
Momo reached the end of the pool and flipped swiftly and gracefully, continuing on another lap unaware of the girls' comments from the surface. For the first time all day, she felt peaceful, at ease. The water calmed her..all worries drifted away. She didn't think. She just swam.  
  
At the end of her lap, Momo climbed up the ladder, almost reluctant to take a break but forcing herself to slow down. She ripped off her goggles and swim cap, sipping from her water bottle and sighing contently after her thirst was quenched.  
  
A sudden rustle caused her to turn around, and she glanced around the pool until her eyes met someone else's gaze.  
  
-Toji?-  
  
Momo bit her lip and moved slowly to the fence, where Toji stood on the other side.  
  
They stared at each other for a moment, each uncertain of what to say.  
  
Toji started first. "Have..have you seen Sae?"  
  
Momo blinked. "Sae?" Was he joking? No, no..his expression didn't change. "Uh, no, I haven't seen her. At all."  
  
"I see." Toji shifted his backpack to the other shoulder. "Adachi...you know, Sae's not around much anymore.."  
  
Momo remained silent, unsure of what he was getting at.  
  
"I mean, you don't have to..avoid me because of her.." Toji reddened, wishing he weren't so nervous. "I mean..I know I've..I've wronged you in the past. And you don't have to..think of me as a friend or, or..or anything like that. But you know...  
  
He finally lifted his head up again, and met her gaze squarely.  
  
"I'll always be here if you need to talk. I'll always, always be here if you need me. No matter what."  
  
Momo froze, his voice reverberating through her head. Those words..those reassuring words..they took her back to when she and Toji had first started dating. Strong, protective, comforting Toji. The Toji she had relied on. The Toji she had loved.   
  
The Toji that hadn't believed in her.  
  
Not like Kairi had.  
  
Momo's mouth opened to speak but Toji turned slightly, a mixture of sadness and relief reflected in his gaze . "Well..that's all I wanted to say. It was really nice, to talk to you like this..again."  
  
He waved, offering a smile. "Sorry if I bothered you. Just..remember what I said. See you."  
  
Momo watched as he walked away, wishing she'd been able to say something. Anything. He'd caught her so off guard.   
  
-Why now?-  
  
Why did he suddenly, out of the blue, come to say something like that to her *today*? Did he..did he somehow know what happened with Kairi? How could he? He and Momo were a thing of the far, far past. He didn't know what was going on in her life anymore. He wouldn't have any idea of the mess with Kairi. And he wouldn't exactly care, either.  
  
-Right?-  
  
~~~  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
~~~~~  
More chapters coming soon. Feel free to email me, parakiss@prodigy.net  
  
P.S. The names of the chapters are corny, I know, but they're supposed to relate to the thoughts of characters IN the chapter. Chapter 1 was "Don't You Love Me?" and was in regards to what Momo was feeling. Chapter 2 was "If You Only Knew", and was Kairi's thought about Momo and his secret past with Misao. This chapter, chapter 3, is "Always Watching You", and it comes from Toji, who sees everything going on with Kairi and Momo but isn't directly involved..nor has he been for quite some time. 


	4. We're Both Searching

Chapter four of my first fanfiction. Spoilers for Peach Girl volume 12!  
  
About names. Kairi is 'Kiley' 's original name in the Japanese tanks. Ryo is Kairi's older (nearly identical) brother. Aki Misao (last name Aki, first name Misao) is Kairi and Momo's school nurse, who has been a character since the earliest chapters.   
  
Dialogue broken off with *** indicates flashbacks. Quotes surrounded by - indicate first-person thoughts.  
  
Again, this is my first fic so if anyone reads this, pleeease leave a review! Thanks very much for the comments so far, they're keeping me going!  
  
  
-Parakiss  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
  
  
Circle of Trust Chapter 4: We're Both Searching  
  
  
  
  
~~~~  
  
The sun was setting already. Momo gazed out over the surface of the water, admiring the orange rays reflecting off it. Had it really been that long? She'd only mean to swim a few laps after school and then leave. She'd wound up spending hours just sitting by the edge..Momo seemed to be losing all track of time lately.  
  
-I should go home already..-  
  
She rose to her feet and grabbed her bag, slinging it over her shoulder with a heavy sigh, hating to leave.  
  
-This is the only place I feel secure anymore-  
  
She turned around and jumped back with a start, clenching her jaw.  
  
-Or was, until now-  
  
Kairi tentatively took a step forward. "Momo..Momo, please, we just need to-"  
  
She stepped around him, anger building up inside her. He had some nerve, constantly showing up like this..HE was the one who broke HER heart..  
  
Kairi followed behind her and grabbed her arm. "Momo!"  
  
She jerked away. "Don't TOUCH me! Don't come NEAR me!" She wasn't kidding. She was fuming.  
  
Kairi watched her hurry forward and then took off again, this time throwing himself in front of her and dropping to his knees, his head bowed down.  
  
"PLEASE Momo! Please, please just give me a few minutes! Just let me talk to you, just this one last time and I'll leave you alone..please, please!"  
  
Momo paused, taken back by the desperation in his voice. A mixture of feelings heating her heart. She hated him.   
  
"Please!"  
  
She had no reason to speak to him.   
  
"Please.."  
  
This was all his fault..she had no obligations, she had no remorse, she was the victim, she was the-  
  
"Momo!"  
  
  
"..Fine."  
  
Kairi looked up, uncertain he'd heard her right, but she'd already moved away, walking over to a nearby bench and slumping onto it, a grim expression on her face.  
  
Exhaling nervously, he went over and sat down gingerly next to her, careful not to get too close. Where to start? He wanted to explain. He wanted to somehow make things better. He just wanted her not to hate him..but what exactly could he say that would make that happen?  
  
"I..I'm sorry."  
  
He knew that wouldn't do it, but he HAD to say it again. He meant it. He couldn't express how much he meant it.  
  
"I've..when I was able to become friends with you, I was amazed. When you began confiding in me, when we began spending time together, I was happy. I was so happy that you let yourself get close to me, and that you trusted me. I loved being with you so much...I looked forward to seeing you more than anything."  
  
Momo shifted and Kairi glanced at her sideways, to see her expression soften slightly as she stared at the ground. He swallowed.  
  
"I always had so much fun with you, Momo. I really developed feelings for you. But no matter how happy I became, there was a part of me that was always sad. There are memories inside that I just keep going back to, over and over...a burning inside so intense, a feeling of love.."  
  
Momo cut in. "For Misao?"  
  
Kairi didn't say anything.  
  
"Why? Why not for me?"  
  
He paused, and clasped his hands together. Momo stared at them as his grasp tightened until his knuckles turned white.   
  
"It's probably..probably because it was the first time, ever. With Misao..it was the first time anyone ever looked at me. Not as "Ryo's little brother". Just as Kairi."  
  
Kairi told Momo the story, the long history of growing up second-best to his brother, his first meeting with Misao, his joy at having someone who only cared for him, his heartbreak at finding Ryo had won again after all.  
  
"That day, at the beach..after I found out about Misao and Ryo, I ran away. I just ran with no where to go, and stayed away from her, from him. When they found me..Ryo told me how Misao had been so upset. All the others had already left, but Misao refused, she refused to go home without me. She spent every minute of those few days searching for me, he said. When I saw her, she looked so relieved..."  
  
"I couldn't help it, then. Despite what had happened with Ryo, I didn't feel any less love for Misao. She really DID care for me, still more than anyone else. I swore it would never matter what happened, or who Misao came to love. She'd always be my most important person..no matter what."   
  
  
Kairi went silent, and Momo faught to keep threatening tears behind her eyelids, feeling worse than ever. She felt Kairi's pain while he talked..this wasn't easy on him. And he was telling the truth. She hadn't imagined there'd been so much behind it..she hadn't expected this. She never knew he hurt so badly, so secretly.  
  
The irony struck her. They were both so similar..they were both just searching for someone to see them for who they really were.  
  
Kairi couldn't be number one to Misao.   
  
Momo couldn't be number one to Kairi.  
  
She forced a smile bitterly and turned to Kairi.  
  
"Okayasu..kiss me."  
  
He jumped, staring at her.  
  
"Kiss me."  
  
She didn't move. He stared at her for a moment longer and then leaned in slowly. Momo tilted her head, waiting expectantly, Kairi so close now she could feel his breath on her face...he hesitated.  
  
She closed her eyes. "Do you..love me?"  
  
Silence. "I do."  
  
"But..you love Misao more?"  
  
"..yes."  
  
She choked back a sob. "Idiot."  
  
He met her gaze finally, briefly, before turning away yet again.  
  
"Are you going to..pursue Misao now?"  
  
Kairi shook his head. "I can't. It's impossible."  
  
Momo looked at him. "Is that so?"  
  
"That's so."  
  
"Aren't you afraid of what will happen if she begins seeing someone else? Aren't you afraid of losing her even more?"  
  
The hurt flashed in his eyes. She wished she hadn't said that.  
  
"Yeah..I am."  
  
"Momo..I'm sorry. It was such a horrible thing, what I did. I'm really sorry."  
  
-Heh.- Momo ran a hand through her hair wearily. "Yeah..it was. It's just my luck, huh? To be told this by a guy right after I've truly fallen in love with him."  
  
Kairi winced. "..I'm sorry.."  
  
Momo fiddled with the strap of her bag, wishing she didn't have as many thoughts running through her head. Nothing was clear now. Nothing except the fact that she still loved him.   
  
-Despite it all..I do..-  
  
"But you know..even now..it's okay.."  
  
She jumped off the bench and turned back to him, a slight smile forming.  
  
"Even now, knowing your true feelings.."  
  
"The Kairi that loves Misao is good enough for me."  
  
He stared at her, his brain not comprehending. He rose to his feet and she smiled again.  
  
"All I want is to be by your side."  
  
She reached up towards him, standing on her toes and closing her eyes-  
  
He grabbed her shoulders and held her back.  
  
"We can't."  
  
-what?-  
  
"We can't see each other. Not anymore."  
  
-But-  
  
"But..you don't hate me..you love me, you said so, that's wh-"  
  
"That's WHY we can't see each other. I have to be a man. Because I love Momo. You say you want to be by my side..you say I can kiss you..that's fine with you?"  
  
"It's fine, I-"  
  
"Is it really? Is it really okay? Despite what I've said? Despite the fact that I love another woman, and have memories of her I'll never stop thinking about? Despite the fact that you'll be second best? Everything I've said to you..you'll really forgive me for everything?"  
  
"I can't put you through that. I can't hurt you even more. It's my fault..my fault for making you cry like this. My fault for everything that's happening. I shouldn't be so easily forgiven. That's why..that's why we can't stay together."  
  
Momo threw her arms in the air, exasperated. "What are you saying?! You love me, you're sorry, you don't want to hurt me, so you'll dump me? You don't want to put me through any more pain, so you'll LEAVE me? I said I was FINE! You said it was useless anyway..I said I'd forgive you..as long as I can be with you..that's all I want! As long as you.."  
  
"I love Misao. I love her. That's why.."  
  
"I can't be with you at all."  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
He walked away, leaving her standing alone in shock.  
  
Not again..  
  
-He said he loved me!-  
  
He can't do this again.  
  
Her feet refused to move.  
  
He can't make this..*final*.  
  
She finally looked after him, catching his retreating form several yards away.  
  
"Kairi!" She yelled, running a few steps forward.  
  
"KAIRI!"   
  
She could no longer see him.  
  
~~~~~  
  
Momo slumped against a stone column, ignoring the stares of those around her. Even now she couldn't stop crying. She glanced at the tracks and wished more than anything for the train to pull in already. She wanted to go home. She wanted to curl up in her bed and sleep. And never wake up.  
  
For the first time that day, something actually went her way. She breathed a heavy sigh of relief as she heard the bustle of the train from far down the tracks. Hastily she wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand, hoping to regain some composure before boarding.  
  
A few fresh drops slid down her cheek and she cursed under her breath. Looks like she'll be having another sob session once she gets one, regardless of what the other passengers will think.  
  
The screech of brakes, and doors opened. Momo stared at the ground and waited for those departing to step off, then hurried forward when no one else seemed to be coming.  
  
"Oof!" Momo bumped heavily into someone and mumbled an apology.  
  
"Adachi?"  
  
She froze, lifting her head. -Please no..-  
  
Toji's mouth fell open upon seeing her tears. "Adachi?! Adachi what happened? What's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing, nothing's wrong, I'm f..I'm fine!" She tried to step around him but he blocked her.  
  
"Adachi.." he stared at her expression. "Did something..happen with Okayasu?"  
  
She didn't say anything, and he reached a hand out to her arm. "Why? What happened? You look so upset.."  
  
Momo brushed his hand off and forced a laugh. "Ha..haha, nothing happened, of course, nothing's wrong, I'm fine, now-"  
  
"Don't lie to me!"   
  
She bit her lip as he continued.  
  
"I know when you're upset..and I know when you're lying. So don't try it."  
  
"..just tell me..what happened?"  
  
Another tear escaped, and she finally pushed him aside, running forward onto the train as the doors shut behind her.   
  
Toji stared at the train as it sped past, his fist slamming into the column next to him, anger completely blocking out the pain.  
  
-That bastard!-  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
~~~~~  
More chapters coming soon. I'm also writing another PG fanfic, a much shorter, more romantic story which basically contains how I'd like to see the ending go ^_^. It won't be as boring as this story, and it'll be up soon! Look for it, ne? 


	5. To Let You Down

Chapter five of my first fanfiction. Spoilers for Peach Girl volume 12!  
  
About names. Kairi is 'Kiley' 's original name in the Japanese tanks. Ryo is Kairi's older (nearly identical) brother. Aki Misao (last name Aki, first name Misao) is Kairi and Momo's school nurse, who has been a character since the earliest chapters (yes, the slightly 'plump' school nurse Kairi's always hanging around...I'm NOT making his feelings for her up ^^).   
  
Dialogue broken off with *** indicates flashbacks. Quotes surrounded by - indicate first-person thoughts.  
  
Sorry this chapter took MONTHS to come out. I don't know if anyone even remembers this fic by now! Well, I'm really not happy with this fic, and I just couldn't seem to write any more of it..I didn't quite know where to take it. But, I just suddenly felt in the mood to continue, so I tried to do what I could.  
  
-Parakiss  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
  
  
Circle of Trust Chapter 5: To Let You Down  
  
  
  
  
~~~~  
  
"Oomf!" Another painful grunt, and Kairi was on his knees, arms clutching at his stomach.   
  
Touji stood over him, fists still clenched. "Get up."  
  
Kairi whinced, trying to catch his breath. He staggered to his feet, wishing there were something, anything nearby for him in the street for him to lean on for assistance.   
  
Touji's eyes narrowed as the boy before him slowly rose, a trickle of blood escaping from the corner of his mouth.  
  
-He doesn't resist..-  
  
The fact made him even more furious.  
  
-He doesn't fight back...like he feels so guilty he knows he deserves it-  
  
"Don't you have ANYTHING to say, you bastard?!" Another punch landed on Kairi's right cheek, and for the third time he reeled back.  
  
-He knows he deserves this..but does he honestly think this is a suitable enough punishment for making Momo cry like that?!-   
  
Kairi grimaced from the ground, holding a hand up to his nose as it bled. "Toji, enough, I.."  
  
Toji glared at him, slamming his fist into the wall above Kairi's head. "No, Okayasu, it's NOT enough. What the hell are you doing? Just what are you DOING to Momo?"  
  
Kairi froze, and took his hand from his nose, raising his gaze upwards and silently chuckling. Of course Touji would know by now, of course..  
  
Toji took a step forward, threateningly, and Kairi blanched, holding his hands up.  
  
But he had nothing to say.  
  
"You don't understand." he offered weakly.  
  
Toji positively growled at him. "I don't have to understand shit, Okayasu. I don't know you're doing, but I don't need to know. All I need to know is that right now, you're destroying Momo."  
  
Kairi let out a slight chuckle, trying not to let the pain show on his face. Then he paused, and realized with everything going on right now, it didn't matter if he kept up a tough appearance in front of another guy. Toji didn't give a shit. He didn't give a shit.  
  
"Toji, you know how I feel about Momo..."  
  
"The hell I do. I thought you loved her, but if this is how you treat someone you love, you're fucking pathetic!"  
  
Kairi stood up yet again, his mind too blank to process that he might be better off just *staying* on the ground this time. "It is pathetic. I'm pathetic. We're pathetic. Life, love, it's all pathetic." He laughed, or tried to...doubled-over still trying to adjust to the pain, it came out more like a wheezing cough which made him sound old beyond his years.  
  
Toji stared at the sad excuse of a man before him. His babbling didn't make sense anymore..it only added to Toji's frustration. "It's not right, Okayasu. It's just not RIGHT to act like you're some sort of hero for loving Momo when all you do is hurt her even more than Sae did."  
  
"Yeah, well that makes two of us."  
  
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"  
  
"It means to come off your high horse, Toji. Yeah, I hurt Momo, and it's killing me. But to act like you've never done the exact same thing? Like you've never made her cry, never grabbed her heart with your hand and squeezed until it bled? Momo came to love me because I was there for her all the times you turned your back on her and chose Sae's lies instead of Momo's feelings, so stop fucking preaching to me about being pathetic."  
  
Toji stood still, his mind racing to process everything he just heard. Nevermind the initial shock of goofball Kairi, always-smiling, always-joking, never-serious Kairi facing him with anger and resent in his face...Toji's brain just didn't want to let Kairi's accusations sink in.  
  
-Accusations?-  
  
Kairi brushed past him, the look of disgust never leaving his face, and Toji made no move to stop him.  
  
Accusations...but they weren't. They were true. Entirely, completely true, and Toji's head sank into his hands as he realized how cruel, how unfair, how unreasonably complicated and twisted life could be.  
  
"I'm so sorry, Momo..I'm so sorry.." he whispered.  
  
~~~~~  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
~~~~~  
I'm halfway through chapter six, and either that or chapter seven will be the end of the story. I also hope to write a shorter, much more cheerful (and hopefully much better) PG fanfic once this one's over.   
Also, for any fans of the manga 'Gals!', I posted a short fanfic entitled "Friendship" which I was actually happy with..unfortunately it's based on the characters Harue and Mami, whom don't seem to be very well-known! Anyway, if you're a Gals fan, please check it out! 


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